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Finance Minister disputes reason for late payment of some security agencies’ salaries

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan on Wednesday disputed thd reason for late payment of salaries to workers of several agencies under the Ministry of Public Security.

Hours after Demerara Waves Online News quoted from a circular to the heads of the prisons, fire service, customs anti-narcotics unit, police complaints authority, and juvenile detention centre that there was “insufficient funds” to pay October salaries, Jordan told government’s Department of Public Information that the delay in the payment of members of the joint services was not a result of unavailable finances, but rather the submission of inaccurate information.

In a statement to the Department of Public Information (DPI) Minister Jordan said the Ministry of Public Security’s payroll was released from the Ministry of Finance on Thursday, October 18.

He further explained that a request for 6141 and Virements was received the following day, with insufficient information. A request for additional information was satisfied after 17:00 hrs. and a letter for Budget approval sent to the Director of Budget on Monday, October 22. Approval was granted, and the funds released the same day.

Attempts to import the payroll on Tuesday, October 23 highlighted several errors resulting from incorrect postings during the year. According to the Minister, staff worked into the night to correct the detected errors. Staff of the ministry of Public Security were unable to assist in the process with necessary explanations despite being provided with tables and demonstrations from the technical staff of the Ministry of Finance, for hours. The result therefore was the inability to process the Ministry of Public Security’s payroll to date.

Minister Jordan has assured that the processing of the payroll will continue today, October 24, 2018 with staff of the Ministry of Finance working with those of the Ministry of Public Security to rectify all errors and ensure salaries are paid to the joint services.

The agencies affected include Guyana Prison Service and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).0